Bradley rues ‘sloppy’ start as Hoops exit
BOLESLAV WIN 5-2 ON AGGREGATE SHAMROCK ROVERS were given a lesson in European football as they checked out of the Europa League in the Czech Republic.
And the Hoops can have no issues about their exit, sealed by a 2-0 loss away to Mlada Boleslav, the side who advance to the third round with a 5-2 aggregate win: no bent referee, no dodgy pitch or travel mishaps.
A positive second-half display from Rovers, where they did score in added time only for Sean Boyd’s effort to be disallowed and also had other efforts, allowed them finish the tie, and the European campaign, with something of a smile.
But overall this was a lesson for the Dublin club.
“No, no complaints,” said Rovers boss Stephen Bradley at the close of his first full European campaign.
“Their budget is €6million a year, we have to be realistic and look at their budget compared to ours, it’s a massive difference. Were they that much better than us over the two legs? I don’t think they were, I just think we started sloppy.
“That was the first time that group played in Europe together and they will only learn from this away experience. What we missed was that bit of knowhow early on, away in Europe you have to be clever, but that will only come with nights like that.”
The pre-match talk from the Rovers camp called for two things: better defending than they showed in the home leg, and an early goal to “rattle” the hosts and their support.
In reality, it was game over, and tie over, after only nine minutes when Mlada Boleslav took the lead, another goal given up all too softly.
Defender Lukas Pauschek clipped a cross into the box, Ronan Finn tried to clear but only got a minor connection with the ball which fell for Jan Chramosta and he had little worry in beating ’keeper Tomer Chencinski.
STRUGGLED
Rovers struggled to get possession against a crafty Czech side and even when the Hoops did have the ball, it was surrendered all too easily. It was only a matter of time before the locals scored again.
On 31 minutes forward Golgol Mebrahtu, who scored twice in the 3-2 win in Dublin, made it 2-0 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate.
The classy-looking Pauschek passed for Pavel Cmovs, and what Cmovs lacks in terms of vowels in his name he more than makes up for it in talent as his pass fell for Mebrahtu, leaving the Australian-raised forward with a simple enough finish in front of a crowd of 4,727.
There was more shape about Rovers in the second half; at this stage the tie well beyond them but they could at least put in a good shift for 45 minutes.
Just two minutes after the restart, Roberto Lopes went close to nicking a goal, having got on the end of Brandon Miele’s cross, and on 59 minutes David McAllister tried his luck with a header, again Miele the provider.
Mlada Boleslav appeared to sit back and just wait for the final whistle which would signal their plans for the third round but to the Hoops’ credit, they stayed in the game as the tie ebbed further and further away.
Ten minutes from time, the hard-working Gary Shaw laid the ball off for Simon Madden but his effort was off target.
Rovers did find a late spurt, though, as sub Seán Boyd had the ball in the net in the first minute of added time, but it was disallowed by the Georgian referee for over-physical play by Boyd, while Boyd came back to test ’keeper Jakub Divis, who saved that effort and a follow-up shot from Madden.
Weather issues delayed the Hoops’